Public Statements

Akin Statement on Supreme Court Decision on Arizona Immigration Law

Statement

Congressman Todd Akin (R-MO) released the following statement today after the Supreme Court released its decision on the Arizona immigration law (Arizona v. United States):

"This decision is a mixed bag. Illegal immigration hurts our country in numerous ways and it is sad that states are doing more to enforce our immigration laws than the federal government. President Obama recently decided to impose his liberal immigration policies by fiat, ignoring the rule of law. The President and his Administration are not above the law.

"Last week I introduced a bill, the VERIFI Act, which will take one small step toward addressing the problem of illegal immigration. Currently, most government benefit programs, like Medicare and Social Security, do not require a verification of citizenship. This means that illegal immigrants can access benefits that they are not legally allowed to have. This is called cheating. My bill would close this door by requiring a citizenship check before receiving benefits. It's a simple idea that we should act on quickly."